Lithuania sues Belarus at UN court over migrants
May 19, Pozirk. The Lithuanian government has filed a lawsuit against Belarus with the UN International Court of Justice to hold the Belarusian regime responsible for allegedly orchestrating a massive influx of migrants to Lithuania, the Baltic country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Vilnius demands “full compensation for the damage caused, including the costs of building the wall, and guarantees that the violations of international law will not be repeated.”
Since 2021, Lithuania has faced an unprecedented increase in the number of third-country national entering the country from Belarus outside official border crossings, the ministry said.
Lithuania said it has collected evidence to prove the Belarusian government’s direct involvement in organizing undocumented entries, it added.
It asserted that the Belarusian state companies increased the number of flights from the Middle East and other regions, and organized the issuance of visas and accommodation for the travelers.
Upon arrival, many migrants were escorted by Belarusian security forces to the Lithuanian border to cross it illegally, often in life-threatening conditions, according to the statement.
Despite repeated requests for cooperation, Belarusian border guards refused to work with the Lithuanian authorities to stop illegal border crossings, the foreign ministry said.
“Lithuania views these actions as a deliberate attempt by the Belarusian regime to use migration as a means of political pressure against Lithuania and the European Union, in response to their support for Belarusian democracy and sanctions for human rights violations,” it said.
Lithuania seizes 30,000 packs of smuggled Belarusian cigarettes
May 19, Pozirk. Over the past weekend, the Lithuanian border guards have intercepted 24 batches with 30,000 packs of smuggled Belarusian cigarettes transported by balloons with GPS trackers, Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service reports. The agency linked increased smuggling activities …